ANITA AND THE DRAGONS

A young Dominican girl grapples with emigrating from her homeland.

Anita has long watched the “dragons” fly “high above.” Though they roar and shake, Anita, being a “valiant princesa,” doesn’t fear them. But today a dragon will carry Anita and her mother and father and brothers from their island to a “distant land far, far away from the Dominican Republic.” Lyrical prose accompanied by lovely illustrations that have the look of pastels and collage describes Anita’s fears about what’s to come as well as her anxiety about what she’ll miss about her beloved homeland. The knowledge that hot baths, conveniences, and new experiences await her doesn’t dull the ache that comes from leaving her beautiful life on her island and special people like her abuela. But like the brave princesa she is, Anita eventually “hold[s her] chin high” and meets the dragon, and with it her new life—promising her island “with mango-sweet kisses; black stormy nights; glassy, blue waves; spicy, hot heat; and sandy, snug hugs” that she will return. The art, often pastel hued, adds wonderful texture to the gorgeous text and portrays Anita with dark-brown skin, a trait shared with the majority of the other characters. The unfortunate choice to italicize the majority of the few Spanish words persists throughout.

A gorgeous story about the love of one’s homeland and the courage it takes to emigrate.